Search Tips


A process for starting a research project is described in this video:


1. Create a visual representation of your subject, related topics and subtopics. This can be a "Web" or "Spider" Map, a Mind Map, or a Concept Map. You decide.


2. Formulate a good research question.

    • Example: Is AIDS prevention part of the sex education classes?
3. Identify the main concepts or keywords.
    • Example: sex education, AIDS, prevention
4. Find synonyms and related words and combine them by using Boolean (logical) operators AND, OR, or NOT.
    • Example: sex education AND aids AND (prevention OR intervention)
5. Your search phrase is going to be “sex education AND aids AND (prevention OR intervention)”


References

Concept Mapping: How to Start Your Term Paper Research. (2007). Retrieved November 19, 2008, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhgxuNvbNrA.